


Beats for the people

by Selwyn111



Series: Not our new overwatch [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Swearing, Symmetra is a badass fight me, Will I ever stop posting btween the hours of 2AM and 6AM I will never know
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-20
Updated: 2017-02-20
Packaged: 2018-09-25 19:09:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,142
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9840083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selwyn111/pseuds/Selwyn111
Summary: Lúcio is continuing the fight against the Vishkar corporation. Nothing should deter him, but it does. People who have changed, and people who are good. They are the ones to make a difference. He can guide.





	

"Lúcio Correia dos Santos everyone!" the announcer calls out to the crowd. He had been helping his best friend try to make the world a better place. 

João Miguel was an organizer. He couldn't begin to imagine what process went into making the music Lúcio has for the people all the time. João was able to spread posters and find places that were not going to be too crowded with Vishkar employees or the times between their rounds. The closest he was able to be with the people was a hype man, if he couldn't get the people cheering it was a bad night. 

Rio de Janeiro had been affected by the omnic crisis the whole world felt it. The people of Rio were thankful in the beginning, it wasn't as bad as in some places. City skylines could still be recognized, and the people of Brazil were lucky to have lost little lives in comparison to other countries. Other countries where the omniums were placed.

Of course some of the people had been hurt and many places, homes, outskirts were damaged. The government had thanked the CEO of the Vishkar corporation when they said that they might be able to get some cities back on their feet again. To bring order after a time of chaos. 

The people soon discovered the time of conflict had truly just started, the city and her people were going to fit into a cookie cutter ideal. Everything and everyone under control, to police errant behavior, to police their very thoughts. 

Lúcio had started the rebellion, it was all planned in the ruins of the local community college. João was chosen for finding places and it was Valentina that suggested that they use her father's setup for the speakers and portable power. They had almost gotten caught more than once going into the store, and had almost been caught leaving the store right before it opened. 

But here they were grabbing the last speaker out from on top an open windowsill, "Careful with all the base next time."

Lúcio responds to Valentina, "Yes mom."

"I'm serious it's one inch away from falling." 

"Oh okay Val." 

João laughs at the pair bickering, Lúcio was the oldest one of them all, the strongest, and most comically the shortest. Using his hard light skates to reach up to the second floors and beyond. Sometimes João and Valentina had to blend into the fleeing crowds to avoid curfew patrols and the authorities. No matter what though they always had a stroke of luck they never managed to be caught. 

This night was just like any others, they managed to make it back to their houses all fine. Lúcio ends the night by lying on his bed, closing his eyes letting out a groan before turning onto his side opening up a laptop to a music making program and fiddling around until his eyes and body fails him forcing himself to sleep. 

An alarm blares before work, Lúcio starts muttering to himself, "three hours that's good." he hits the snooze button and prepares for the day. Brushing his teeth, getting dressed, and having breakfast not in that order, cereal was amazing with a piece of fruit. Putting on plain rollerblades, the hard light ones sitting in the back of his closet under his few articles of clothing. Going out his front door right as the curfew alarm rings, locking his door behind him turning left to head to his job. 

A large man in an apron shout out when Lúcio walks in the door, "DJ you're almost late!" 

Lúcio waves to a few of the early bird customers, "Sorry pops, traffic was horrible." 

They both laugh, "Kid we both know you don't drive." 

It was like this every morning, Lúcio skates to the back and puts on his apron grabbing his notebook and a drink tray, "I dibs next table." 

Lúcio spends his morning serving tables at Terry's place, taking an afternoon shift until four hours before curfew sets in he makes his way home. He walks into his home shakes his head and just shrugs, "Do you guys just want your own keys. I might have to beg the Vishkar for the extra key but it would've easier than worrying that you are going to break my lock." 

"I would never break a lock I got almost a decade of practice and I basically can pick your lock with my eyes closed at this point." Valentina shrugs. 

João looks at Lúcio handing him a paper, "Vishkar just sent this out." 

Taking the paper he sees the paper is a public service sheet saying that everyone had to keep inside during the extended curfew hours. People have complained and the company had restricted, "Was that necessary?" 

\-----------------

"Was that entirely necessary?" Symmetra asks to one of her co-workers. They shrug in response giving an almost practiced generic response about how they bring it upon themselves, "Then they should stop resisting. If they continue in this pattern we will end with a full fledged rebellion. More than just delinquents avoiding curfew." 

"Yes Satya. It is good to have some higher authority with us." Giovanni nods trying not to show how happy he was for having someone who would be able to help his home. She had returned after a brief departure once the city center was finished, but now she was going to help the favales. 

Giovanni was one of the first classes to graduate. The class finished right after Mr.Colorados business had gone belly up, Giovanni was the top of his class as well. It was why he was left to be working with top of classes from overseas. He was almost in a management position but had refused to be working on the buildings and to help people. He had an eye for buildings. He was keeping it in the old style, but still allowing for the city to catch up with the times. 

"Shall you show me around the city?" Symmetra asks. 

Giovanni nods, "I do have my night patrol so it would be easier. After I might be able to show you a project I have been working on to help the city." 

\------------------------------------------

"It wouldn't be easier. I don't have enough notice!" 

"João we have to. If they think that they can try new rules and silence the voice of the people." Lúcio hits his fist into his open palm, "They need to understand that we can never have our thoughts." 

"We know what we are fighting for Lúcio but where would we host it? A and B how would we get notice out to everyone?" 

Lúcio thinks for a few seconds, then he snaps his fingers, "I was working on a track and we embed a certain IP address so everyone knows where to go." 

João shakes his head, "You are crazy." 

Valentina shakes her head, "Crazy enough that it just might work." 

The three of them race to Lúcio's computer the laptop had synced its information during the day transferring onto the main frame. João looks at all the twenty five tracks of the song and looks over to Lúcio, "You said you made this last night right?" Lúcio nods, "Do you ever sleep?" 

"It was a good night I got a whole like three hours of sleep." Lúcio says distractedly while looking over the last few tracks, "Okay so we have to put our message in. Where should we protest tonight?" 

A few ideas are tossed around until Valentina suggests the next construction site, "Where we all started. The ruins of the college?" 

Lúcio gets a gleam in his eyes, "Spite is the most powerful tool we have." clapping his hands together, "Alright, so I can get the coordinates into the song in ten minutes then we get it out. Val can you start the cypher code in and we will have the message out in fifteen minutes." 

They got the message out in thirteen, João had pulled up one of the old power grids and was trying to restore power to the college area so they could get lights and speakers up. João was also preparing to have the lights brought out of their old high school drama program so it would be ready for tonight. 

\------------------------------------------

"Alright, so here we are." Giovanni was walking down the street leading to one of the campus trails. 

"This place will reopen soon. Then a school will help the people get better jobs, and get a better way of life for themselves." Symmetra answers almost self assured. 

Giovanni smiles throwing his arms out envisioning the school, "We can have the university teams back again. Bringing smiles to everyone. We can make sure there is sports fields still right?" 

A rare chuckle escapes Symmetra she wants to imagine a stadium filled with people laughing and cheering. Her brow wrinkles, "I am sure I can hear the cheering already." 

Giovanni stops and listens, "I hear it as well." 

They stop and try to determine where the source of the sounds is coming from, the centre of the ruins of the college. Cautiously approaching the source of the noise then they start to see the lights casting mesmerizing shadows and reflecting off all the glass and mirrors set up. The light was mostly contained so the rest of the city would not find them.

"And we will not be told! We won't be controlled! We won't take your cure! We won't be reassured!" 

"I know that voice. It's that DJ Lúcio." Giovanni whispered, "Should we call for backup?" Giovanni did not sound so assured of wanting to call for help. 

Last time she was monitored she was peaceful and tried to show mercy others didn't, "No we could handle this ourselves. We try to observe and find out where they go." 

"We don't exactly fit into the crowd in these outfits." Giovanni gestures to their memorable uniforms. 

Symmetra looks at Giovanni, "Then we don't blend into the crowd. We act in the shadows." she starts to create a hard light staircase leading to the open second floor. They travel through the multicolored shadows and the lights of the party cover them nicely. 

Lúcio has the crowd enthralled with him. Jumping and dancing, a heavy beat behind him making the crowds hearts beat together. He has been calling out the chorus of this song a few times, pointing out to the crowd of thousands gathered in the college ruins they finish off the chorus, "We will not be fixed! You're the ones that are sick! And we will not decay! We will never fade away!" 

Lúcio looks and sees João and Valentina waiting at the far side he gives a nod, "All of you are such good singers I don't know why I'm always up here alone! My heart goes out to everyone here, you figured out how to get here in under six hours and we still manage to have the best talk we have ever had!" 

He waits a moment to let the crowd cheer, wiping off his brow a chuckle escapes into the microphone as he sees people start to scale the partial building to get a better look at him, "But every word we said is true. We won't fade away! We won't let those Vishkar snobs think they can get away with burning our homes, businesses, our lives! We won't turn to ash you can sweep under a rug! We the people are what we decide! And we the people have decided to be fighters!" 

Symmetra closes her eyes at the absurdity of Lúcios' speech, she had moved ahead and was preparing to make a convex wall to keep the people in, she would speak to the people try to find some ground, "We only wanted to help. The people you see here want to make sure you have clean water and a place to sleep." 

While she was practicing what she was going to say she then hears a muffled warning cry behind her. Turning she sees Giovanni being dragged away his visor broken a piece of it protruding from his cheek, he looks her in the eyes and give a nod. Moving back he grabs their attention by fighting back, Symmetra shrinks down into the flashing shadows. She removes her visor making sure to save the recording to her memories, there were a few select memories she kept away from the company. Closing her eyes keeping her focus she removes her visor from the feed playing a loopback of their walk to the campus in place. 

"Lúcio we found some Vishkar trying to ruin the night as always!" the people hold Giovanni over the edge of the crumbling building. His feet dangling and grabbing onto their arms with one hand the other gingerly massaging his jaw. 

Lúcio looks and sees the crowd's frenzy. He feeds into it, "Well what do we have here! You come to us hoping to change us! Did you hear what we said! You can't, we won't fade and go into the calm and quiet of the night! You won't be able to change our homes and make them to ash." 

Jeers and cheers rise from the crowd Giovanni struggles in the arms of the man holding him. He holds on for dear life when they pretend to drop him, the crowd swarms around at the base chanting for him to be dropped, "I never came here to stop you! I never did want to stop you! I came here tonight to check on the college. I wanted to see where we have to get ready for rebuild the school." Giovanni shouts trying to be heard over the crowd. Lúcio looks at him raising his hands silencing the crowd making him repeat himself, "I wanted to check in on the college. I was going to start rebuilding it soon with a few others!" 

Shouts of doubt and cruel names echo amidst the fanfare, "You want to fix a school but you ruin family lives in the process. How many others were displaced to build that city center." 

He shouts down to the voice that spoke out, "You don't realize it but you still need us. Without us everything would crumble again!"

Another chant starts repeating what João starts, "Drop him." the crowds collective voice despite all the thousands who were there Lúcio could still be heard walking through the crowd the microphone left on the makeshift stage. 

"You people -no employees you never change. Now it's time to see how the little people you help actually live." almost right below him Lúcio looks up, "Drop him!" 

The shout was a command. The crowds cheer is cut short when a hard light bridge appears as a balcony between the crowds hands and Giovanni, "What are you waiting for? Run before they follow!" 

Giovanni tries to stand how he fell his leg twisted and it was painful to put any weight on it. He looks back at his leg, he sees many people jumping to get closer to drag them down. Fighting through the pain he starts to move limping his way towards Symmetra to escape, as soon as he passes a part the balcony disappears. She wraps her arm around his shoulders to try and help him move quickly hissing into his ear, "Now call for backup." 

"I can't. The visoorr- eugh. The visor is broken." Giovanni's voice was too loud. Now looking at the damage that had happened, the visor was smashed into his head, bleeding from the headphone being smashed against his skull. It appeared that they were brutes. 

"Keep your voice down." calling for support her voice devoid of any response. Only giving facts, only facts that were needed.

\------------------------------------------

Valentina breaks through the crowd. Their noise had already attracted the attention of local authorities and before a riot could start the Vishkar corporation was already on its way. Symmetra’s call was only an affirmation, the plans were working. 

"Lúcio what the fuck! I thought this was gonna be a bit more secure?" She starts to gesture to everyone, "If they all come down on us people will be hurt." 

Lúcio shakes his head as João moves in shaking with excitement, "We almost got one of them. If we could have gotten that tech then we would have the control." 

"We were about to tear that man apart." Lúcio whispers to himself. 

João and Valentina put their hands on him João speaks words of comfort, "No we wouldn't have. We would just have made him a martyr. Let him see what the company really does." 

Valentina shakes Lúcio by the shoulders, "No time to think about that now." 

\------------------------------------------

"We have to escape before they find us. Got it?" Symmetra says to Giovanni while huddled on the third floor in an open area. 

Giovanni takes a deep breath trying to ready himself planting his one leg down and trying to be gentle with the twisted ankle, applying weight in trying to stand part of the floor gives out and a sickening crack could be heard. Giovanni tries his best not scream out, he goes for loud breathing which turns to sobbing. He couldn’t fail, not now. 

The shouts start to filter in, "Over here!" 

Lights, sirens blaring, shouting. She was unsure if it was this rebellion or it was the authorities. Either way it was not someone she wanted to be with, looking around for a way out noises drone together she regulates her breathing feeling a hand on her shoulder Giovanni crying looks her in the eye, "Go. Don't look back, I'll be fine." 

"Don't look back. Do not look back." 

Her uniform was only slightly tarnished on her way down, climbing down the outside of the building, cursing her heels. As she was crossing over the rubble trying to avoid being seen. Stowing her visor under her jacket in her shirt, removing her distinct jacket and running through the city with her undershirt and hiding her archetype technology with the jacket. She didn't look back. 

\------------------------------------------

Everyone had made it back, dragging back everything in the back of truck. Not their truck but someone who wanted to help them out. Lúcio points out for where the speakers need to go, João and Valentina help carry Giovanni over to Lúcio's bed. They put down the employee as gently as possible, still the trip in the back of the truck was excruciating especially since he was being held down by the two helping hands. 

Lúcio smiles, "Hello there, what do you have to report on the rebellion." 

\------------------------------------------

Symmetra nods, "We were unsure. There was music, but we never knew how many people were there. We had been surprised by a few of them behind us, they dragged Giovanni away, I stunned a few to make my escape." 

\------------------------------------------

Giovanni focuses on breathing, feeling nauseous he doesn't speak, he feels that his cheek was healed at least. He doesn't know if he's feeling nauseous from being caught or from the pain. Starting at Lúcio he is given a few seconds before being prompted again, "You better start talking before something bad happens." 

"So that's all you are? Thugs and cutthroats wanting to remove us from the city so you can reign in anarchy? Do you know how the city will crumble without us?" Giovanni asks with malice in his voice. 

Valentina tries a different approach shooing off Lúcio and João. Kneeling down she shares a moment with Giovanni, "We don't need to remove anyone, we just want to keep jobs in the city. We want to help ourselves, we are proud people." 

Giovanni speaks with venom, "You dense fuckers. If you physically get rid of us it would-" 

"If you think you can use that tone with me then I will leave you to them. I'm the only one who is going to try and be nice to you Gio." Valentina answers the question before he asks, "You used to shop at my father's store all the time. Don't come down to us anymore." 

It clicks, "Val?" 

"A bit slow on the take, eh and last you were saying was you were in the top quarter of the class." 

"I just don't have the time I work seven days a week and finish off twenty minutes before curfew starts. I just have enough time to make it back home and most nights I run curfew and security only time I'm allowed to be outside as well. Even if I visit the store it would be when curfew is up." 

"Of course, so I'll just leave you here then." 

Giovanni tries to move but is held back by his leg, "Wait. Do you know what they will do to me?" 

"I have no idea." 

Lúcio and João come back into the room, they were unsure if Valentina was done she storms out saying, "I got to get the speakers back. He's all yours Lúcio, João. Come on lets go!" 

"Hello Lúcio, João I-" 

João stops Giovanni, "Other way around. I'm João and he's Lúcio." 

"Hello, João and Lúcio. I don't have anything to say. Everything I plan to do I told you about while being man handled by your- uh please don't touch that!" Giovanni says when Lúcio bends down to inspect the leg. 

Lúcio couldn't stop João from poking Giovanni's leg, "What this?" 

Giovanni lets out a cry through gritted teeth trying to seem as tough as possible, "ffffuck! Fuck I don't know anything." Giovanni's hands clenching and unclenching fighting the bile rising in his throat. 

"João stop." Lúcio bats away João, "I am wanting to check out the wound so this way it doesn't get infected." 

Giovanni tries to keep calm watching through bleary eyes eventually his adrenaline runs out and he succumbs to sleep. 

\------------------------------------------

Terry looks at Lúcio as he skates into work, "Arriving on time are we DJ?" 

Lúcio looks over to Terry with a smile, "Always, one day I might be early." 

"And that will be the day of my funeral! The radio's busted again can you hook up your tunes?" 

Lúcio gives an almost worried glance to Terry saying, "Alright pops." as he follows him into the back of the kitchen. 

Once inside the kitchen Terry turns around and wraps Lúcio in a hug, "Don't ever do that again kid. What were you thinking?” 

Terry puts Lúcio at arms length, “Drop him! What are you, what was with you?" Lúcio was stunned blanking on a response, "Yeah I know you are a rebel. The rebel, DJ I hired you after you came in from a gig the night before. Everyone has to keep a cover. Didn't you think it weird that the radio was broken on Fridays? Or that I was allowing only one employee to be paid under the table? Your music brings a smile to my daughter's face, and you bring hope to my family. But it wasn't you out there last night." 

Lúcio clenches his fists grabbing onto the old apron Terry wore. Lúcio pulls himself in for another hug and apologizes, "I know it wasn't me out there but in the crowd you have to be someone different." 

"How many of them said that too? Don't ever change what you believe in for this cause. 'Cause if you do DJ then you loose what the cause is for." 

Lúcio can't help it, lack of sleep and too many things happening he breaks down and starts to cry gripping Terry closer muttering apologies, "I don't want to but it's what the people need. They need to see their actions bear fruit." 

"Well then stop it and see where they go without you. Don't give into them, Lúcio promise me that you would never change for them." Lúcio shakes his head no, "Promise me boy. Promise me please." 

"I have already changed and not entirely for the better." 

Terry lets out a long sigh, "Give yourself a minute before you walk out and put that music on." 

Lúcio looks unusually downcast for the day, some of his regulars give him distant encouragement trying to make him smile, and they smile when he does. 

\------------------------------------------

Nothing had seemed to change in the office, only a bit of gossip on what had happened. The news bulletin said nothing of the four employees who had gotten hurt or the one that went missing, there was a reminder on what time the curfew started. There was reminders for what had to be done with the public when you found them. 

Vinicius arrived ten minutes before she arrived, "Good morning Satya. I am Vinicius new manager. Ready to begin work on the college?" 

She pauses before answering looking into their motives with a stern look on her face, "What about the ordeal last night." 

"What with Giovanni and the rebel? I'm here now as the project manager, and I say they are inconsequential." 

Her look hardens only then does Vinicius realize his mistake. His attempts at apologizing are stopped with a raised hand, "I think I will examine the site today. You will remain at the city center to begin checking over all equipment required." 

She does walk away from the city center, off towards the college but not to inspect it, because let there be mercy to whoever was foolish enough to try and take and hurt someone who wants to help. Once at the college it is almost impossible to find any discerning tracks which could have taken him but from where she left him she could tell that it was by vehicle. Going to the police station with her uniform off but still having her employee card with her using it only when the officer asks why she was looking for traffic camera footage. 

The smaller officer gives an apology, "I'm sorry it will be done as quickly as it can be." 

"That is fine. If we keep this off of the company records it would be best. Do you have a spare computer that I could use to find him?" 

She spends the next three hours going over security footage that was fleeing the scene until she finds the open bed red truck with the distinct white uniform sticking out. Following the truck it goes to an old area that doesn't have traffic cameras that function. The truck eventually leaves the area going to her next destination. 

She will find Giovanni. She won't let the company take that away. We are only as strong as what we leave behind. 

\------------------------------------------

João is the first thing Giovanni sees when he wakes up, trying to move and his body telling him to stop that. João looks at Giovanni with an almost sick to himself smile, "Hello my guy. We uh kidnapped you." 

Giovanni tilts his head squinting at João, "You just realized you kidnapped me. I mean at least you didn't leave me with a broken leg bleeding on a rebel leaders bed. Oh wait?"

João glares at Giovanni they glare at each other for another half hour until Giovanni's stomach starts to grumble, "Eugh promise me you won't run off." 

"I promise to run a marathon João." 

João leaves the room grumbling, "At least we didn't break your sense of humor." 

Lúcio comes into his house smelling food, specifically Pão de queijo, "We kidnapped a guy." 

João matches his whisper, "I have been with the kidnapped guy all day I know Lúcio." 

"Are you making him Pão de queijo?"

"His stomach got rumbling so I'm making him lunner." 

Lúcio taps his chest repeatedly, "That's my cheese bread though. And lunner was our thing don't call it that for him. Late lunch or dinner your choice. Lunner is ours." 

"Well then it's our lunner and his meal." João shrugs coming to an agreement. 

Going into the room with a warm plate of Pão de queijo Giovanni stares at the pair walking in Lúcio still in his apron and João with a few crumbs on him blowing on the hot bread, "What the hell?" 

"I burnt myself okay and if you don't want it then you don't have to eat." João gets elbowed, "I mean you do have to eat but give it a few minutes." 

Lúcio sounds more stiff and apologetic, "Okay so we didn't mean to really kidnap you but what would have happened if you were with the crowd I don't know what would have happened." 

"If you want me to thank you for saving my life. I'm not sure you have." 

"We are just going to get you to promise that you are not going to tell Vishkar our names and where we live. After that you are free to go." 

Giovanni looks unconvinced, "Yeah. I will be able to return to my job. I probably have been replaced at this point, I am my family's source of income. I just wanted to see soccer return to the college. Help the people." Giovanni whispers, "I wanted to be like you." 

Lúcio stops his voice barely a whisper, "Like me? You wanted to be helping people so you joined the company that oppresses our people." 

"I try to ign-" 

"It's not something to be ignored! It makes you worse than the rest, at least they know they just want to get rid of us." Giovanni almost cowers at Lúcio shouting. 

João had seen him get like this after the fires, but not directed at someone. He places his hand on Lúcio's shoulder trying to calm him down, it works to make Lúcio check his anger, "I'm alright, I'm alright." 

Giovanni restarts speaking slower, "I try to ignore their orders. I only made it to the top of class because I found other solutions, I have delved into others generator storage to accommodate solutions." 

João and Lúcio both look at Giovanni, "What do you mean?" 

"They upped the curfew because they are trying to eradicate a homelessness problem. I have been making a hideout destroying parts under the city to make room for part time homes." 

"You have been making housing for people?" 

"So to say I would hand you in. I would be in worse trouble." 

João goes closer, "Take is there." 

Giovanni asks, "After the pão de queijo?" 

They both agree. 

\-------------------------------------

Symmetra had followed the truck to a small store, it was hiding at the back of the building. She places a small tracker underneath the truck lest they try to leave, going inside it's the little details. 

The clean space on the the part of the truck bed, small dusty tires and one broken headlight. The speaker cords hanging outside their place holders, a distinct voice. A few spots that were less polished, and less traveled. She walks through the store looking for anyone who could have dragged Giovanni away. 

That voice, it was at the college last night. She could know of where they took her friend. Opening her personal cellular device checking how she looks practicing a smile, still looks a bit forced. She remembers what human resources told her to have a nice smile, think of nice memories. Makes the smile more sincere. 

Symmetra walks over to the counter the woman's hair was hiding part of her name tag all she could make out _Val_ , "Hello." 

Valentina looks at Symmetry, "Is there anything I could help you with." 

"I am looking for the owners of the truck parked outside. I accidentally hit their front bumper and took out a light bulb. I would like to trade insurance with them to pay for the damages. May you call them?" 

Valentina is surprised that someone was asking for insurance, "The parking lot also covers the buildings behind us. They could be living there and park here." 

Symmetra thanks Valentina and walks out of the store, going around the block to start asking and keeping with her fake story. People start to be suspicious of her when it's an hour from curfew, no one apparently owns the red truck. She enters Terry's place wanting to have something to eat before it gets too dark. 

"We close in thirty minutes so you might have to take your food in a to-go box." Terry apologizes. 

"That will be fine, Terry?" 

"Yeah I'm the boss, anything you want just ask me." 

"Curfew starts in forty-five minutes how do you get home in less than fifteen? If you don't mind me asking." Symmetra asks sitting down at one of the booths. 

Terry hands her a menu, "I live right behind here. Don't tell the Vishkar but I make it home through my back door usually thirty seconds after curfew." 

She chuckles, "I promise. I think I will have the cassava chips." 

Terry moves to the kitchen talking over his shoulder, "We need cassava chips and make sure we have a to-go box ready for the nice lady." 

Symmetra waits alone in the booth, it takes under five minutes for the chips to be made, "Thank you for everything."

"No problem." Terry smiles then hears his name being called out from inside the kitchen he goes, "I'll be one minute." 

That distinct voice pops up again and three others, "She's fishy. I don't think someone would spend a whole afternoon checking for an insurance claim down here." 

Symmetra hears Terry voice his doubts that she was trying to do the right thing, but eventually gets overruled. She had her hard light technology on underneath putting the last half of her chips into the to-go box and placing what she owed with a forty percent tip on the table. Letting out a quiet sigh to herself, "Thank you Terry, I hope you have a good evening." 

When she walks to the front of the restaurant to leave one of the men was waiting outside, "You were asking about my truck?" 

He was almost a foot taller than her, hair cut short and well tanned, "I have been. I hit it and took out one of your lights. If we could exchange insurance before curfew started I live a bit away and I don't want to be caught outside." 

The man shrugs, "Understandable but I don't have that good of a policy and I can take care of it myself. Own a scrapyard and can find what I need there." 

"Of course. Here is my phone number," Symmetra write her personal number out for him, "At least let me help with paying for some of the repairs then." 

\-------------------------------------

Giovanni had made an almost temporary crutch and was walking a bit slower but with the look like he was Vishkar. They see the last lights go out of Terry's place and the last warning alarm for curfew sound out, "All local residents be advised. Curfew begins in five minutes. Please be indoors." 

Lúcio was the only one to hear João mumble, "But Vishkar employees can still be out." 

Lúcio asks when they reach a half hour after curfew while walking taking random turns, "How much longer?" 

"It usually doesn't take me this long but they switched out the schedule. And I can only fake so much, if I'm walking down a street I have to angle it like we are going to a holding center. Also the leg still hurts." 

Lúcio apologizes, "I just don't want to be caught, João sucks at running and I could only carry one of you." 

It takes five turns, then walking down a sketchy looking unlit dirt path outside the city. Then they see a orange and blue glow appearing in the night sky, "Is that?" 

Giovanni answers, "Yes that is the building generator. But we are going to take this path over here." 

João wouldn't have called it a path, or even a foot trail. They walked for another few minutes arriving at some old security fence surrounding a half walled cellar. Giovanni walks right through the fence and tosses out the comment, "It's holographic. Just walk through it." Lúcio and João listen to the instructions and follow Giovanni, taking a spiral staircase down to a small dimly lit hallway, "Its a lot less menacing than it looks." Giovanni jokes to the pair. 

"If this is a trap." João grumbles. The rest of the trip is relatively quiet, they turn at the end off the hallway and see a faint glow appearing beneath, "Roll initiative." 

"I am not a wizard, I'm an architect." Giovanni responds. Holding onto the doorknob saying dramatically, "Welcome to the underground." 

There was almost a full city beneath syphoning off what they needed and having created what they didn't have. All in a mixture of styles, the buildings were restricted to four stories but the ceiling didn't seem to cramped. Lúcio looks and walks into the town, all the people stop and realize who he is and start to make him feel at home.

"Welcome Lúcio!"   
\-------------------------------------

Vinicius had just gotten through the footage from the police. A member of their corporation had been there and failed to report, he knew it was Symmetra, but still rules were rules, and what the CEO said was law. Always report a breach in protocol but unless you knew without a shadow of doubt who it was do not give names. The company will figure it out in time. 

Vinicius finishes off his report handing it in, and decided that he will follow up on his lead. There had been reports that the van had to go to the middle of the Favelas to dispose of Giovanni but they could be wrong. He had the truck followed to small convenience store. 

Muttering to himself, "My first stop." 

He was at the store unsure of how to contact the owners at this time but the doors should be open at all hours to the Vishkar, even if the people disapproved of it. Forming a skeleton key with his hard light gauntlet he slowly opens the door. Nothing that stuck out as a kidnapping, but the truck had moved. Exiting the store with a disappointed sight he then notices, tuck tire treads lead in the dusty road. 

He followed the treads to a small restaurant attached to a house going around to the front of the house he knocks and waits for a response, "Greetings. I am inquiring about a truck that is in the lot of your establishment." 

Terry laughs, "That truck is having a day. Lost its headlight in an accident, now the Vishkar are asking why my neighbor is parking in my parking lot." 

"Do you know what house they live in." 

It was a statement not a question. Terry answers not breaking or showing the panic that he was hiding, "They actually stayed here overnight. We got caught up at my restaurant and didn't realize until a few minutes before curfew only just had time to make it through to my door. Don't want to be breaking curfew." 

Vinicius doesn't respond to Terry and instead waits to be invited in. He walks past and inspects the small home, walking to a back door in a kitchen observing a staircase leading upstairs, "You said they were here." 

"They might be back in the restaurant. I do own both and it is still covered between both properties." Terry gestures to the back door. 

Vinicius walks through seeing the owner was correct in saying that the buildings were conjoined in that aspect. It was covered not conjoined. Opening the back door with his skeleton key when Terry said that he was going to run and grab his keys, "No need we are proficient in what we do." Vinicius continues into the building and calls out, "I am looking for the owner of the truck. If you resist you will be punished. We only have a suspicious thought but there is no need for violence." 

He stalks through the restaurant and in the storage room of foods he finds three men and two women. They all stand when Vinicius enters, "I found you. Which one is the owner of the truck?" 

The man in the center stands up, "It's my truck. What do you want to know about it?" 

Vinicius palms his weapon ready and hoping for resistance. His wish was granted. The women on either side start to approach, Vinicius taking one step back he forms two sentry turrets on each side of the doorframe. Terry almost grabs onto Vinicius but the icy glare from him just makes him beg, "Please my daughter is there. Don't hurt them." 

"Then they shouldn't have tried to resist." 

It was the first time Terry had seen Vinicius smile, it was not a smile of the people. It was the smile of a shark, "I am sure with their options now. They won't resist." 

Vinicius nods walking away to the kitchen doors, "Well I will have them in the seating area of the restaurant to speak to them in favorable conditions."

The turrets were still in place. Vinicius listens to the shuffling of feet, and everyone unsure of who will go first, the sounds of muffled curses, turning around at the kitchen door seeing the lasers following burning the people inside. Terry and owner of the truck allowing themselves to be hurt instead of the ladies. 

Valentina walks right up to him, "You monsters. You wonder why the people will never like you." 

"If I cared for the people's opinion then would I do this?" he grabs Valentina's arm and drags her through the door throwing her behind him, placing four sentry turrets in the doorway. 

"They won't be able to get to you in time unless they suffer through the doorway." 

\-------------------------------------

The underground was something to behold, while it was small it was a community. Kids were running in the cobbled walkways and streets, adults could see them and know that they were safe. A mural covered the ceiling to simulate saky, even if the people used fake lights to seem like it was night the sky was still bright blue. Lúcio looks over to Giovanni when he starts speaking, “I can't leave.”

Before Lúcio starts talking again Giovanni continues, “What I tried to tell you earlier. Everything we built is out of those generators, what we make with gauntlets and other tech pieces degenerate after so far. If you get rid of us it will be a bloodbath. All the structures that we have built until finalized or refurbished will just crumble. Only thing that was re-made was the city center, only thing that would be done. Mr. Colorado was the only person that knew.”

João interrupts, “So we can never be free. You- uh. The Vishkar are here to stay.”

Giovanni looks down, “Some of us only want to see our families have a home again, some want to just be another others but I guess it's like that everywhere.” seeing both men look down, “Don't think about it as the Vishkar being something undefeatable. Think of them as something just as terrifying, someone who doesn't know. Bu there is a silver lining to that. They can be taught.”

Lúcio spends another hour in the underground, Giovanni was welcomed as much as Lúcio. João walked behind the pair, they take a break on a colorful bench. Lúcio helps Giovanni sit down while João speaks his mind, "They really love you here." 

"I don't care if they love me or not. I have knowledge that they are safe down here. I'm always just hoping that no one finds this place. After the first two families then they would meet the new families to help ease them in." 

"We have to get back. I can't be late for work and I have been going on no sleep. We'll come back tomorrow to check in on you and I should be able to get to the rest of the leg tomorrow." 

Giovanni jokes, "You were holding out on me Lúcio?" 

Dodging around the question, "Possibly." 

"Okay we did think you were another corporate dou-" a few kids run by and João changes the word, "corporate dark man." 

Giovanni and Lúcio laugh at João who blushes and mutters for Lúcio to follow him. They are asked to come back and Lucio promises that on Friday a special concert at the underground. They start to make their way back to their homes being cautious so they wouldn't be caught. 

\-------------------------------------

Symmetra notices the lights flickering on in the front of the restaurant. Moving from her stakeout position getting closer to the door, she sees Vinicius and Val from the convenience store. She didn't waste any time, taking down the glass door with an open palm attack, breaking down the door. 

"Let her go!" 

Vinicius smiles, "You are right wouldn't want to hurt myself now." 

Valentina lets out an agonized scream as the hard light beam from his weapon connects with the base of her arm. Burning and scalding, ripping apart the flesh of her arm while she tries to back up. Symmetra projects a barrier disconnecting the beam from her arm. Following right behind with surprising strength she pulls Valentina out of the way. She aims her weapon destroying the four turrets that Vinicius had placed. 

"Terry and everyone else run!" 

Terry trusts her grabs onto his daughters hand and his son-in-law pulling them into the room shielding himself with one arm the others come into the room watching the lady they accused of being Vishkar being correct in their assumptions, but she was fighting on their side. Vinicius kicks out the kick landing on her kidney. 

Vinicius levels his photon projector with her head charging the blast while she was on the ground. Terry lets out a shout and clocks Vinicius in the jaw, it turns him around and his shot goes wide. Almost taking out the two other men and carving its way through the doors, "It's going for the stove!" 

The truck owner picks up Valentina and helps Symmetra to her feet urging her to run. They make it outside Vinicius on their heels just as he clears past Symmetra she projects another barrier stopping the fireball from the open flame connecting to the gas line. Turning to Vinicius she grabs his visor and weapon slightly singed hair getting tangled she rips out the visor with little regard for the other employee. 

Turning she see Valentina on the ground staring at her arm, her hand almost completely destroyed. She was bleeding, she was burned, Symmetra goes to her side removing her jacket and ripping apart the sleeve trying to create a makeshift bandage, "Only places I know will have our heads metaphorically."

"You are Vishkar. But why are you helping us? Oh Val." Terry hadn't seen Valentina's arm. 

"She needs medical attention or the arm might have to be amputated. I am Vishkar, I apologize for that. I want to help people. I thought I was but they used me." Symmetra closes her eyes for a split second breaths and reminds herself to focus on Valentina's arm. 

The owner of the truck pipes up, "She can be trusted we go to Lúcio's at least Val and this." 

Holding onto Vinicius Terry looks at him pulling him closer, "You tried to hurt my daughter." as he finishes saying that he slugs Vinicius knocking him out, "Tell DJ that he doesn't have to worry about being late tomorrow." 

Sirens could be heard in the distance. The truck owner casually tosses Vinicius into the truck bed, tossing out everything that was in the back seat on top of him. With Terry hopping in the back, "Honey stay-" 

"Go make sure Val is safe." 

"Right." 

Symmetra helps move Valentina into the truck's back seat sitting beside her, "Only time I will let you pass on a seatbelt." 

"I guess this Vishkar is for the people's feelings." Valentina says through clenched teeth as Symmetra tightens the bandage again, "If you are trying to remove my arm with a piece of cloth please don't." 

They keep up a conservation of medical procedure and quips for the entire trip to Lúcio's place. The only snag was when Terry knocked out Vinicius again after he was showing signs of waking up. 

\-------------------------------------

Lúcio arrives at his home standing at his door looking over the city he sees a black smokestack coming from inside the city. Closing his eyes, despite that things were getting better. They had someone who was wanting to help the city as much as they did, and was actually being more than talk. 

Coming inside his own place and preparing for bed with a happy dance, turning on some mellow tunes, and making a quick himself dinner. Just as he takes his first bite then he hears knocking. Opening the door Valentina almost purely leaning on Symmetra, “Hey Lúcio. We found a good Vishkar.” 

“Holy, fu- Val get inside. Everyone else inside too.” 

Waving them inside clearing off his bed putting down the sheets he used with Giovanni, directing Terry to his bedside with Valentina, “I thought we were in trouble because she had visited. She looked to clean cut to be from around here. She was just looking for her friend, then another one of the Vishkar came-” 

“Terry is it alright if I concentrate on her arm?”

Terry quiets down while Lúcio and Symmetra discuss prognosis of the arm. It takes forty three minutes to dress the wounds. They had to remove three of the fingers. Lúcio spends the next hour tending to everybody else's wounds, the laser scars on everybody else, Terry explaining what happened at the restaurant. 

\-------------------------------------

“You know you don't have to do this.” Valentine screws her eyes shut and takes a few steadying breaths. 

“It was the last one, and of course I have to.” Symmetra looks at Valentina's reconstructed hand in the other room, “Try moving them around. It will start getting them through the generations of bug fixes.” 

Valentina looks at how focused Symmetra was on her hand she complies, “Do you know how much money this would cost someone?” 

Without taking more than three seconds she has the answer, “For what has been done now would be just forty three dollars and twenty five cents short of two thousand. Once complete you will have five thousand three hundred fifteen dollars and ninety-nine cents of hardware on your arm.” 

Lúcio comes into the room after and lets out a whistle when he sees the finished arm. Burns covered and taken care of, “So what they are saying is true. There could still be hope for some Vishkar.”

Symmetra looks at Lúcio tilting her head, “I was looking for my friend. He was the one who wants to help the, help people. I saw him last after your concert then I followed the truck to her store, then the rest is as it played out.” 

“Giovanni isn't here right now.”

“Lúcio she saved my life. She saved our lives. Don't tell me you did something you are going to regret now.” 

“Aww Val no! He was building something to help the people, he is safe but we can't go back there tonight. Tomorrow night we will sneak out to them and work on a plan from there.”

It was crammed in the apartment that night but everybody had a space to sleep Lúcio giving his bed to Val, Terry taking the couch, his chair going to Symmetra, the owner of the truck who was called Abilio clearing off the counter and taking the one other pillow. Lúcio considered having the college experience as he tried to fall asleep in the tub. 

Terry was the fiery person to wake up looking at everyone in mismatched clothes sprawled out everywhere, giving a quiet chuckle waking up Abilio moving him to the couch when people start to wake up to the smell of breakfast. 

Lúcio wakes up, “Thought you said I didn't have work Terry.” 

“Well it looks like I lied DJ. Now go give the nice ladies their breakfast.” 

The rest of the day is spent in the in the apartment, Abilio leaves saying he's going to make sure they aren't going to be followed for the truck. Symmetra helps Valentina for the rest of the day adjust to the new arm, helping her go through the generation bug fixes. 

By the end of the day Valentina is ready to use her new arm just as well as her previous arm. While on the walk at the end of the day, “Still feels weird.” 

“It will be alright. It does take time to adjust.” Symmetra answers. 

Lúcio leads ahead with Terry talking about how they are going to have a new place, and how the people will love having a restaurant. Hearing the women behind him he asks, “I'm sorry if this is a little intrusive but you sound like you know how it's like to lose an arm.” 

“It is but,” Symmetra takes a breath, “To become the best to have everything you will need for work. Vishkar wants to eliminate chaos, to have complete control. This is a way to police everything, unless we return to them the arm deactivates. They remove the human element of weakness.” 

Terry turns and looks at her, “And you thought it was still a good idea to work for them?” 

“When it happened, they offered it to the whole graduating class so no one would feel left out, it was to add improvement to our life and we would improve the lives of others. They complimented my abilities when no one else would. They showed me kindness and cared for me when my own family would not. I thought they would help me and allow me to help to show that I wasn't just different. That they could see that I wasn't just…” 

Her voice trails off, no one presses her further. Terry walks beside her, wrapping his arm tentatively around her, “Don't let anyone change you to love you. No matter what you can find someone who will work to make it right for you.” 

Lúcio walks back to them, “Hey no matter what everyone deserves a second chance.” 

Symmetra smiles then frowns, “What about him?” 

Vinicius was almost being dragged behind them gagged and told if he was going to make a sound he was going to be beaten within an inch of his life. He pipes up at people gesturing to him, “mrrph mrhh moff mph?” 

“People want to change to be given a second chance. He didn't want to find Giovanni, alive. He wanted to find him dead so he could take the position and build to his ideal. That's it. If he wanted to change then there is a chance.”

“There is always a chance don't forget it.” 

Symmetra nods, “Thank you.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, I know it seems like an open end but it will be continued after the beginning stories are told. All of the first few parts are kinda read if you want backstory to something that will come out one day. As always thank you for reading and I hope you have a good day.


End file.
